Statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the "unauthorized research attempt of a French-flagged ship on the Turkish continental shelf"

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a written statement regarding the attempt of a French-flagged ship to conduct unauthorized marine scientific research activities on Türkiye's continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean.

In the statement, it was noted that the French-flagged ship was seen to intend to carry out illegal marine scientific research activities for unauthorized cable laying within the continental shelf, which Türkiye declared its external borders to the United Nations on March 18, 2020.

In the statement stating that the unauthorized navigation warning announcements issued for this purpose by Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus (GCASC) were canceled by Türkiye, the following was stated:

"The process regarding the consent required to be obtained from our country in accordance with the established provisions of international maritime law for the part of the activity that the ship in question plans to carry out within the borders of our continental shelf has not yet been completed. We are fully determined to protect our sovereign rights arising from international law, and we will continue to adopt an approach based on cooperation, dialogue and coordination in the region."